Writer Wednesday – Introducing Pauline Barclay

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Come meet Pauline Barclay! She hosted me on her own blog several weeks ago and I wanted to return the favour so have a read and check out her latest novel which is receiving some pretty fantastic reviews. Take it away Pauline : )

Thanks Nicole for inviting me to your fabby Blog spot and I hope that you are selling zillions of copies of your latest book, The Arrival. New Zealand is a long way on the plane, but only a nano second away with social media. How great it is to talk to you most days despite us being half way round the world from each other and me up and about whilst you are abed…!

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Hi, I’m Pauline Barclay and I live on the lovely sunny Island of Lanzarote, which is around 70 miles of the Moroccan coast, with my husband and our two rescue doggies. Last month my third novel, Sometimes It Happens… was published on Amazon Kindle. My other two books are also available on Kindle and in paperback.

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

I’ve always enjoyed writing, as a child I wrote poetry, then in later years I wrote short stories. Some years ago I wrote two full length novels, but they are archived in my computer and will forever stay there! In 2009 Magnolia House was published, 2010, Satchfield Hall and May 2011, Sometimes It Happens… I am now busy on book 4, but I must devote a lot of time to market the three already out there!

Have you ever been surprised by a controversy among fans or reviewers – for example, you created a character without thinking too much about what people would think of him, and found some readers loved him and some hated him?

For Satchfield Hall I’ve had some great remarks regarding Henry Bryant-Smythe because nobody could believe just how evil he is. He’s hated and loved by readers in equal measures as they wanted to know just what he would do next. He has the confidence to do whatever he wants to do and cares nothing about others.

Simon and Chicky in Sometimes It Happens… are loved by many of the readers, I was not expecting this.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

Ideally I like to have all my commitments done for the day and only then can I sit down and enjoy writing, which is normally in the afternoon. It is not always possible, but I try!

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

When I’m not writing or racing around with my other commitments, I like to walk the dogs, read and cook. But at the moment there is never enough hours in the day to do half of the things I need to or want to….sigh!

How many books have you written? Which is your favourite?

As mentioned earlier, I have three books published, but to be honest I don’t know which is my favourite they all have their merits. Magnolia House is about how an act of kindness can turn into something beyond your worst nightmare, but there is an underline message in the story and through lack of communications things start to go drastically wrong. Satchfield Hall is about power and how it can consume you. By contrast Sometimes It Happens…. Is a lighter story, but don’t be fooled into thinking it is not an emotional and passionate journey. All my books are written with passion and emotion.

Which of your characters would you most/least invite to dinner, and why?

I would invite Jane Leonard from Magnolia House because she has so much to talk about and I feel I would learn a lot from here.From Satchfield Hall I would invite Muriel Bryant-Smythe because she deserves to be treated kindly and with respect. Doreen Wilkinson would be my guest from Sometimes It Happens… she would have everyone rolling around giggling, I love this character, down to earth, yet a tad too sensitive at times, but she never gives up.

What would your ideal career be, if you couldn’t be an author?

Before moving to Lanzarote I worked in communications and was a communications manger in the oil industry. I loved my work, I wrote and edited magazines, press releases, articles for the international press, Internet and intranets.For me, the best job in the world!

Once again Nicole, a huge thanks for letting me take up your space and time and for allowing me to meet your wonderful followers and friends.

I am now one of the 30 hand picked show case authors on the new and exciting Love a Happy Ending. This a brand new magazine style web site for readers, so if you love books, please stop by!

Thank you for stopping by my website. Be sure to visit my blog for sneak snippets of what I'm working on. And don't forget to grab your free copy of The Arrival via the Book Store (in the tabs at the top of the page) - enjoy!